FULL-TIME/PERMANENT
REGION 6 STOCK ASSESSMENT BIOLOGIST  
FISH AND WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST 3 

Fish Program
Montesano, Washington – Grays Harbor County

Montesano, Washington is the current duty station, however, depending on the successful candidate, other duty stations may be considered.

Envision yourself independently planning, developing, and directing fisheries monitoring and stock assessments in South Puget Sound, Hood Canal, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Washington Coast.

Utilizing collected data, inform in-season management actions, regulatory recommendations and harvest reports, while collaborating with WDFW staff, and various stakeholders. 

Picture yourself, 

Hiring, training and supervising biologists and technicians to perform statistically valid redd surveys and creels.

With your data collection experience, 

Organize and assess in-season data to estimate general abundance trends.

The optimal applicants, 

Will have experience rowing/rafting in rivers and streams, conducting redds surveys and sport fishing.

We are seeking a candidate, 

Who models WDFW values: Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).

Duties:

Here is what you will be doing, 

Fisheries stock and harvest assessment studies and field work (snorkeling, stream surveying and boating): 

• Plan, direct, and adapt activities of staff for collection of fish abundance and fishing effort and catch considering budgets, crew availability, survey reach length, current environmental conditions, weather forecasts, daylight hours, available equipment, priority of work, and landowner relations.
• Organize collection of data coming in from numerous personnel spread over a large area.
• Analyze data and estimate fish abundance and/or numbers of target and bycatch species caught.
• Collaborate with area, district and Monitoring and Evaluation biologists on planned or emergent fisheries monitoring and stock assessment needs. 
• Gather data in rivers via snorkeling to identify, count and/or collect fish, and/or deploy and inspect field gear.
• Information is gathered in the field, and in some cases required transportation in a helicopter and/or boat.

Communicate and collaborate with regional colleagues and headquarters support staff: 

• Collaborate with other biologists in the home region, or beyond as needed, to determine which fisheries studies are needed. This will include the design, plan, and implementation of planned or emergent fisheries monitoring needs.

Represent WDFW and Region 6 Biologist in discussions and at meetings with comanaging tribes, State, Federal, County and hydropower utility biologists and/or stakeholders:

• Independently attend and participate in meetings that are primarily focused on issues related to fisheries and stock assessment or projects or proposals that may impact one(1) or more life stages of salmonids including char (bull trout, dolly varden).

Reporting:

• Independently write, review, edit, and finalize the following: 
  • Study and/or activity protocols. 
  • Periodic reports describing activities and observations from a set time.
  • Season-end or year-end catch reports. 
  • Contributions to endangered species act (ESA) reporting. 
  • Peer reviewed paper and technical reports summarizing the results of research activities in the region or as coauthor in other areas.

Supervisor:

• Hire, train, and supervise temporary and permanent employees.
• Monitor and evaluate performance of employees and regularly mentor to keep employee skills and work quality as high as possible.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:
  • Approximately 60% field work and 40% office work. 
  • Will work in all weather conditions, from dry and hot to extreme cold and snow. 
  • Hike over difficult terrain both in and out of moving water and long distances while carrying gear. 
  • Boating in rivers, streams, lakes and possibly marine areas (boating may include class 3 whitewater). Up to 14 hours daily in chest waders.
  • Fly in fixed wing and helicopter aircraft performing fisheries monitoring tasks. 
  • General hazards include but are not limited to, strains, sprains, breaks, scratches, lacerations, infections, and animal encounters. 
  • Office work may consist of long periods of work and eye strain from computer screens. 
  • Ability to snorkel in rivers with cold, fast flowing/whitewater conditions under variable weather conditions for up to three (3) miles per day.
  • Must be able to negotiate water in emergency situations. 
• Schedule:
  • Typically, Monday – Friday, 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
  • Night, weekend, and holiday hours will at times be required.
• Travel Requirements:
  • Must be able to drive extended periods to remote field sites or withstand periods of traffic while navigating city environments. 
  • Must be able to operate a power boat.
  • May involve driving or flying to attend meetings, as well as overnight stays in hotels. 
  • Possible camping for remote fieldwork.
• Tools and Equipment:
  • Waders and drysuit, tagging equipment such as coded wire tag (CWT), passive integrated transponder (PIT), acoustic, and floy), fishing rod, hand tools.
• Customer Interactions:
  • Regular interaction with other WDFW and State biologists and researchers as well as tribal administration, biologists, County and Federal biologists, staff and researchers, and public utility staff and biologists. 
  • Position will frequently interact with the public at large and will be expected to remain calm and professional during various interactions with resource users.

Qualifications:

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Bachelor's degree in fisheries, wildlife management, natural resource science, or environmental science.

AND 

• Three (3) years of professional experience in one or more of the following: 
  • Fish management or fish research.
  • Wildlife management or wildlife research. 
  • Habitat management or habitat research.

OR 

• Two (2) years as a Fish & Wildlife Biologist 2.

Please Note: 

• Closely related qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-by-year basis, totaling seven (7) years. 
• A Master’s degree in the applicable science will substitute one (1) year of the required experience.  
• A Ph.D. in the applicable science may be substituted for two (2) years of the required experience.

Certifications/Licenses: 

• Valid Driver’s License.

Experience: 

• Directly supervising and directing subordinate staff for at least one (1) year
• Proficiency working in Microsoft Excel and Word.
• Tagging and tracking fish using acoustic/radio telemetry, passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags and other fisheries tracking tools.

Ability to: 

• Differentiate all life stages of pacific salmonids required.   
• Locate, handle, and sample salmonid carcasses regardless of severity of state of decay.
• Effectively report and/or present results and resource information in writing or verbally. 

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• First Aid certification to be obtained within one (1) year of hire and maintained throughout employment.
• If position is to operate a power boat, successful completion of agency training and/or certification for assigned watercraft is dependent on supervisory direction, position need and?training availability. 
• If position is to fly in charted aircraft for studies, requires completion of both “basic flight” and “water ditching and survival” training before working aboard small aircraft. 
• WDFW snorkel training and certification, with completion within six (6) months of hire and renewal expected annually.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following: 

Experience:

• Five (5) or more years of professional experience in fish management or research.
• Sport fishing or working with sport fishers. 
• Operating jet boats/sleds 
• Using “R” statistical program.
• Working on computers and comfortable learning new software.
• Rowing/Rafting in rivers and streams.
• Conducting redds surveys
• Snorkeling in moving water.
• Tagging and tracking fish.

Familiarity with: 

• Extensive familiarity with sport fishing methods for salmon and trout, gear, and angler community. 
• Familiarity or experience working with statistics.
• Principles of scientific study design. 

Certifications: 

• First Aid certified.

Supplemental Information:

Please note: Failure to follow the instructions below may lead to disqualification.

Experience and education selected, listed, and detailed in the Supplemental Questions must be verifiable in the application.

In order to successfully apply for this position, you MUST complete your profile at www.careers.wa.gov and attach the following to your profile before completing the online application:

• A cover letter describing how you meet the qualifications of this position (Generic cover letter will not be accepted).
• A current resume. 
• Three professional references. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: 

All new employees must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) on their first day of work. If hired for this or any position at WDFW, you will be required to provide documentation proving you are eligible to work in the United States. For a list of acceptable documents, please use the following link:  https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

JOIN THE WDFW TEAM:

Learn about our agency and the perks of working for WDFW!

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has some of the most talented people in the natural resource field.  We celebrate and value diversity, appreciating that a workforce composed of those from different backgrounds and experiences creates an inclusive environment, strengthens positive relationships with the local community, and brings new perspectives and approaches to fulfilling the agency’s mission. We value demonstrated skill in living WDFW values of Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).

WDFW employees may be eligible for the following: Benefits

Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick, and other Leave types. 

Eleven (11) Paid Holidays per year and one (1) personal holiday if the employee is scheduled to be, or has been, continuously employed by the State of Washington for at least four (4) months. 

Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA),  and an Employee Assistance Program.

UNION - WAFWP:

This position is in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals and is subject to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Washington, Department of Fish & Wildlife, and the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employer

VETERAN PREFERENCE NOTICE:

To take advantage of veteran preference, please do the following:

• Email a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22 or USDVA signed verification of service letter to Elizabeth.Bullard@dfw.wa.gov.
• Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and Vet (for example: #10155 Biologist 1 – Veteran)
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

MILITARY SPOUSE PREFERENCE NOTICE: 

To take advantage of military spouse preference, please do the following:

• Notify us of your military spouse status by email at Elizabeth.Bullard@dfw.wa.gov.  
• Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and MS (for example: #10155 Biologist 1 – MS)
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

Note: Please blackout any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers. 

As part of WDFW’s efforts to advance respectful and inclusive work environments, the Agency expects inclusivity as part of our professional interactions and communications.  Therefore, we want to ensure that all individuals feel welcome, are treated fairly and respectfully.  All staff are empowered to fully contribute to serving their work unit, Agency, and the citizens of Washington.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is an equal opportunity employer.  We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity.   Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.  

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format please contact Jayme Chase by phone 360-902-2278 or email Jayme.Chase@dfw.wa.gov, or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 800-833-6388.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or support@neogov.com.

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